Move to Help Children Break Cycle of Domestic Violence

A pioneering pilot project to break the cycle of domestic violence in families is set to be extended across South Wales.

NSPCC Cymru staff are working with the child victims of domestic violence who are beginning to show disturbing signs of becoming violent and aggressive.

The project, which is due to restart in the autumn will draw on Canadian expertise - the world leaders - on working with children with violent or abusive tendencies.

The move comes as awareness and understanding of the long-term effects and impacts of domestic violence on the whole family increases.

Research has shown that in 80% of cases of domestic assault, children are either in the same or adjacent room and witness or hear the attack taking place.

And children are 15 times more likely to become involved in child protection issues where there is domestic violence within the household.

The project, which initially ran in Cardiff, Caerphilly and the Vale of Glamorgan as part of the NSPCC Cymru's Domestic Violence Prevention Service, is also a response to children's fears they may become abusive adults, or become involved with an abusive partner, after witnessing domestic violence during their childhoods.

Kevin Gibbs, the NSPCC's area services manager for South and East Wales, said, 'Children are saying to us that they are either worried about turning into someone who does behave abusively or they will choose a partner who is violent towards them.

'They have a lot of anxieties about this but it doesn't have to be like this.

'Hopefully this will break the cycle of abuse and children will not go on to offend in adulthood.

'If we can intervene properly and early enough in childhood we can prevent it happening later. …

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